The Translator Made Corporeal - Translation History In The Archive

British Library Knowledge Centre 8 May 2017

This conference sets out to explore current progress in studying the human, flesh-and-blood translator in an historical and cultural context. A final panel, chaired by Theo Hermans, will focus on the future potentials, limitations and risks of biographical research of translators in Translation Studies and the humanities.

In 2001 Theo Hermans suggested that while we have recognized that there can be no text without the human translator, translators are still expected to remain “hidden, out of view, transparent, incorporeal, disembodied and disenfranchised”.

Anthony Pym describes the need to look at the “flesh and blood” translator if we are to gain a deeper understanding of translators as cultural agents. D’Hulst suggests that we should ask Qui? - who is the translator? To answer this question he suggests we need to investigate the biographical detail of the translator, including his/her educational, social and economic background. More recently, Jeremy Munday, Outi Paloposki and others have suggested that we should research translators’ archives to reveal their every-day lives, struggles, networks, and even friendships. Munday has further suggested the creation of micro-histories of translators.

PROGRAMME

8.30-9.15 Registration & Morning Coffee

9.15-9.30 Welcome

9.30-10.15 KEYNOTE: JEREMY MUNDAY

10.15-11.45 PANELS SET ONE (see attached programme)

11.45-12 Coffee Break

12.00 -1.30 PANELS SET TWO (see attached programme)

1.30-2.30 Lunch

Showing: A photographic project The Translator Made Corporeal: Through the Lens by Julia Schönstädt.